Page 10 - NY Cooperator November 2019

10 THE COOPERATOR — NOVEMBER 2019 COOPERATOR.COM 100+ Years 380+ Buildings 1000s of Satisfied Owners, Residents and Boards | | l State-of-the-Art Financial Reporting l Responsiveness & Communication are Our Top Priorities l Leader in Technology & Compliance Tracking l Energy Auctions & Volume Purchasing to Reduce Building Costs l Long-Term Continuity of Managers & Systems l Greening NYC One Building at a Time Management for the Ages 675 Third Ave. New York, NY 10017 212-370-9200 ellimanpm.com info@ellimanpm.com RANKED #1 RESIDENTIAL MANAGEMENT COMPANY IN NYC EllimanRethink_V14_FINAL_v2.indd 1 3/11/19 12:04 PM CONT... building. Th is stands in contrast to “building-re- lated illness,” which, according to the EPA, is a diagnosable illness that can be iden- tifi ed and attributed directly to airborne building contaminants. “Sick building syndrome is absolutely a real thing,” says Mark Drozdov, Senior VP and Techni- cal Director at BSI Services and Solutions Inc., an indoor environmental consulting fi rm based in New York City. “Some of the causes include mold, poor ventilation, and low humidity levels.” Oh, Chute Taller multifamily buildings usually have a small room on each fl oor contain- ing a hatch door that opens into a stainless steel garbage chute. Th e chute runs from the top fl oor all the way to a basement garbage room, where a dumpster or other receptacle is placed to catch residents’ bagged refuse as it tumbles out. While a build- ing’s rules and regulations typi- cally lay out what can and cannot be thrown into the chute, residents will inevitably toss in unbagged, over- sized, or especially gross garbage. Th is will eventually cause a blockage, which in turn can lead to a backup of putrefying trash piling up behind it. Th rowing un- bagged garbage down the chute also causes organic material to splatter and stick to the sides, coating the entire length in a layer of slimy, stinky crud that can attract pests and make the whole building smell like a landfi ll. And of course, even when residents are super conscientious, trash bags do break occasionally – so no matter what, garbage chutes need regular attention and main- tenance to keep them clean and odorless. Th at means management, staff , and resi- dents must not only do their part, but also be ready to bring in professionals to clean and sanitize the building’s chutes regularly to avoid bug and odor problems. Keeping the Flow If a building or association isn’t do- ing enough to maintain good air quality isn’t strong enough and needs to be up- in the fi rst place, odor issues can’t really graded to reach the lower fl oors as well as be blamed on residents – even if they’re the penthouse. Cleaning the building’s air smoking stogies and sauteeing mushrooms ventilation is always helpful to remove ac- in truffl e oil every night. Proper installa- tion and upkeep of HVAC systems have a huge impact on indoor air quality and, by extension, on residents’ quality of life. According to Maria Vizzi, president of Indoor Environmental Solutions (IES) in New York City, “Th e air system really helps to improve quality of life in a multi-unit building. If the air system is not working due to \[something like\] the obstruction of airfl ow in the duct/riser, really bad, of- fensive smells from cooking, bathrooms, or even the trash in the compactor room become trapped inside the building. If an air system is working well, then it will help transport the odors coming from the kitchens, bathrooms, or common areas outside, and exchange air will have an op- portunity to replace it.” Whether a stench is caused by mold in- festing the interstitial spaces in a building or by grimy trash chutes becoming petri dishes of bacteria, a poor- ly maintained HVAC system can make a bad situation that much worse by blowing all that ick through- out the build- ing. And again, it goes beyond just being gross; breathing in gar- bage germs and airborne parti- cles of pest waste is hazardous, and some kinds of mold have the potential to cause serious health issues – everything from allergic reactions to skin irritation, respiratory distress, even behav- ioral problems. And if you think just picking up some heavy-duty air purifi ers at Home Depot and positioning them in your chute rooms or garbage area will do the trick...think again. According to Vizzi, high-effi ciency particulate air (HEPA) fi lters will not make up for a poorly maintained HVAC system. “If the motors are broken or not working to the capacity needed for the building’s size, it contributes to poor indoor air qual- ity,” she says. “Sometimes a simple belt replacement will enable the fan motor to work well again. Sometimes a rooft op fan MAINTAINING... continued from page 1 “ If an air system is working well, then it will help transport the odors coming from the kitchens, bathrooms, or common areas outside, and exchange air will have an opportunity to replace it.” — Maria Vizzi